The Disillusion Mountains

Chapter 15

Grant wasted no time and Nimma was right behind him. Regina continued screaming and from the sound of it she was ripping down their tent. That was too frightening. If that ghost, apparition, demon in the form of her ancestor could touch that tent it could touch them.  

"Stay close!" Nimma screamed as she ran alongside of him. The moon suddenly broke through the clouds giving them better light to run by. A branch hit Nimma's face as they ran. Without warning the ghost appeared in front of them. Regina reached out with a hand and slashed Nimma's arm open. Nimma stumbled backwards feeling her hair and legs tangle in the weeds and leaves.    

"Nimma!" Grant came in from the side and swung his tree branch at the ghost's head. Before it made contact she disappeared. "Take my hand."          

"Where is she? Do you see her?"

"No. You?"

"No. Yes! There! Come on." She grabbed Grant's sleeve and pulled. Breathing hard and hearts hammering they ran for all they were worth. The entire time they heard the ghost on their heels and once Nimma felt what she thought were cold fingers brush her neck and then left a burning sensation. A warm liquid that had to be blood dripped down her neck and into her clothes.            

The forest changed from trees to boulders and before they could think two high cliffs with a narrow path between them appeared. Grant suddenly disappeared from her side view.    

"Nimma!" She turned to see the ghost had gotten Grant by the ankle and tripped him. The GPS flew through the air and landed at Nimma's feet. Grant struggled to get Regina off him but no matter what he did the ghost remained and started to reach toward his heart.

"Get off him!" Nimma tackled the ghost Regina and surprisingly made contact with the cold body. Regina screamed and a look of pure hate crossed her face. Nimma didn't have time to get up and scrambled backwards on all fours as Regina rushed her. Grant tried to tackle Regina but he just went right through her and ended up on the ground by Nimma. With both hands the ghost reached for their hearts.

"Stop!" Nimma screamed again. During the tackle Nimma had lost her gun. With more instinct than thought she raised her hand and used the only weapon she had left. A bright gold flash lit up the forest and Regina disappeared.

"What!" Grant exclaimed.

"Come on." She got Grant to his feet and together they ran for the nearby cliffs. Nimma saw movement out of the corner of her eye. The ghost was there again and Nimma could tell she was even more enraged. With another blood curdling scream the ghost Regina charged them. Grant was ahead of her and a few feet into the cliff path. He stopped, doubled over and started huffing and coughing.

"Where did she go?" Granted asked.

"She's right behind us!" Nimma screamed as she turned to face the rapidly approaching ghost.   

"I don't see her."

"How can you not see her?" Nimma raised her hands hoping to do whatever she had just done again when she felt Grant's hands pull her back into the path between the cliffs. The second she crossed that line the ghost of Regina vanished leaving the night quiet except for their frantic breathing. "What?"

Nimma took a step forward out of the cliff path and the ghost appeared ten feet away and began to rush her. Nimma quickly stepped back between the cliffs and the ghost vanished.

"I-I d-don't know why." She struggled to say. "But she can't touch us here. She disappears when we're in the cliffs."

"Good." Grant huffed as he sank to the ground. Nimma followed his example and leaned her head back against the cool rock. "What was that light? I saw it come from you. Don't try to deny it. It's true isn't it? You, Regina, your whole family are a bunch of witches. Did you know that thing was waiting for us out here?" he asked in outrage.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know the ghost was out there. Yes, Regina was a witch and so am I."

"Why didn't you cast a spell or something to stop her?"

"I don't know how!" Nimma fired back. "I've only known magic is real for two years. Two years! I was shot down by magicians in Draconia and that's how I learned magic was real."

"How could you not know before that if you're a witch?"

"Only one other person in my family as far as I know besides Regina was one and I found out after Rockbell died. I learned I was one by accident when a group of mercenaries attacked after I crawled out of my burning plane. That was the first time I used magic. I've had no training. I only know how to make plants grow. I didn't know Caspian was a witch until he showed up in the middle of the forest in a damned wizard battle and took out the rest." 

"Back up. Who's Caspian?" 

"A man I dated for three years when I was over in Draconia." Nimma hissed as she began to feel the cut on her arm. She rotated it to get a better look and a horrible gash met her eyes. "Damn."

Grant was by her side in a second. He took off his coat and sweatshirt and pulled off the shirt he was wearing. "We can't go out at least until dawn. If this is like the screaming we won't be bothered by her once the sun rises. All our supplies are still at the tent. I don't think you'll bleed to death but we're both in for a long night."

"Thank you," Nimma said as he bound her wound as best he could. "How badly did she get you?" 

"I'm fine for the most part. My ankle smarts a bit but she didn't slash me up like she did you." Grant looked at his breath as it rose before him. "It's only going to get colder. We'll have to huddle together for warmth. Don't fall asleep."

"I won't," Nimma promised.

"No you won't. You're going to explain to me how you found magic and who Caspian is. I am not moving one more foot on this journey with you until you tell me everything." 

"Okay. That's fair. I know you didn't sign up for this. If in the morning you want to go back I won't stop you."

"Does Selmmie know about your witch powers?"  

"Yes. I couldn't keep it from her. Not after everything that happened."   

"Alright. Start at the beginning. Let me look at your neck. It's bleeding." Nimma leaned forward and began her story.